Axle construction.



l R. E. FINES.

AXLE CONSTRUCTION.

. APPLICATION FILED vSEPI. 1 9. I9I 7.

Lam Patented om 29, 1918.`

TTae/VE yo.

Patented 00u. 29, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 mams.,

. wu lll uuv/ APPLICATION FILED SE-PT. I9, 1917. l

Patented?. i oet. 29, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET '3f i rip.

nonn'r n. rains,

. nxnn CONSTRUCTION.

Lasarte.

Original application illed November 22, 1916, Serial No.

Specicat'ion of Letters Patent.

OFCLEITELAN D, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE COLUMBIA AXLE COMPANY,

OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION F OHIO.

132,793. Divided and this application led September 19, 1917. Serial No. 192,079.

v To all whom t may concern.

B e it known that I, ROBERT E. FRrEs, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and Stateof Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Axle Construction, of which the following is a specilication, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applyingthat principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

' The present invention relates, as indicated, to axle constructionand is more particularly directed to anaxle housing of improved construction and greater strength formed from,

a single blank or sheet of metal. lBy the formation of the housing from a single sheet it is necessary lto make but one seam or joint which is welded and a single welded seam in a housing makes the same much stronger than two seams which are ordinarily on diametrically opposite sides and liable to open under severe strain.` The preferred method of manufacture of my improved housing is here described for clearness but is claimed in a co-pending application, Serial No. 132,793, of which the present application is a di- By the foregoing statement of the object and functions of the' present invention, I do not lnpanthat no axles are at 'present oonstructed out ofa single sheet, for axles with open central portions are now in use; but these fall short of constituting a complete and unitary axle housing since the differential mechanism is there inclosed in a separate casing wholly independent of the axle proper, this casingmerely being supported within the open center of the axle member. By 'my new method it is possible to make a complete housing from a single blank in which the entire mechanism' of the axle, including the di'erential, is both supported and inclosed'. The present application covers subject matter originally described and claimed in my co-pending' application filed November 22, 1916, Serial No. 132,793, the subject matter in question having been divided out of the original application.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain means and one mode of carrying out the invention, such disclosed means and mode illustrating, however, but one of the various ways@ in which the principle of the invention may be used. i

In said annexed drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the formed blank; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the blank after the initial bending or `forming operation; Fig. 2, 22 and 23 are sections on the lanes 1 1, 2 2, and 3 3, respectively in ig. 2, and Fig. 24 is a side view of the member shown in Fig. 2 looking up; Fig. 25 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. 2 showing the blank where partially formed; Fig. 3 is a side 4view of the housing or blank after the third, or hole punching operation; Fig. 4 is a side view of the partially formed housing after the initial portion of the closing or final forming operation, this view also showing the notching at one side, although this may be omitted from the method, if desired; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 1 1 in Fig. 4; Fig. 5 is a similar view of the ho'usingat the completionof the folding operation, 'show- Fatented Oct. 29, 1213..

tions on the planes 1 1, 2 2 and 3 3 respectivelv in Fig. 5 ;`Fig. 6 is a side view of the housing after the welding of the seam; Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are sections on the plane 7 7 in Fig. 3 showing the 'form of the central portion after the intermediate steps ofedg-l ing, false-wiring and flattening, respectively; Fig. 10 isa side view ofthe blank as shown in Fig. 9 after the intermediate step of notching; Fig. 11 is a side view of the blank before the closing operation of Fig. 5 showing the positioning of the reinforcing tubes an'd bams plates; Fig. 12 is a similar view 'showing the use of tubes having conical ends; Figs. 11 and 12 are sections ont-he planes 1 1 in Figs. 1l and 12 respectively; Fig. 13 is a side view of the closed housing (of Fig. 5) after the second notching'and the'trimming operation and after thel welding (of FigQG) g andv Fig. 14: is a plan view l of the finished housing, and Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a modified type of housing.

My improved method of manufacture comprises 'a series of main operations which are utilized in the production of a complete and inclosed axle housing from a single sheet and valso of a number of minor' or intermediate operatlons, which, -while not essential, con' tribute to the production of a complete housing although they may either be omitted en sections.

tirely or carried out in other ways after the formation of the general housing. Thus, the major steps in my method are the punching of the blank, the bending of the same into channel or, more specifically U-shape, the punching of the central hole, the closing or final forming operation and the Welding.V

The other steps are ones which are preferably made la part of the complete method, but are ones which may be varied considerably to suit different conditions and to produce particular housings for certain purposes. Such steps are the forming of a double center or inturned flange about the central hole, the notching of the front and back of the central or di'erential portion of the housing, the placing of the reinforcing tubes of different kinds and the trimming` of the rear hole after the final forming. For convenience and clearness T will describe all of the above steps in their preferred order of occurrence.

he first step in my improved method of manufacture consists of the stamping or punching out, preferably from a flat sheet or piece of stock, of a blank 1 of approximately the shape shown' in Fig. 1. This blank will be seen to consist of a substantially circular central or intermediate portion 2 and alined oppositely extending arms or strips 3. The annular central portion 2 is formed to produce in the final housing a hollow annular member which will constitute the differential housing of the finished axle when supplied with suitable cover plates as is customary in such constructions, and the alined oppositely extending arms are intended, when formed as Will be described hereinafter, to constitute the axle receiving tubes of the finished product. The blank 1 is formed with slight projections 4 which supply sufficient stock to permit of a gradual enlar ement or taper from the inner ends of t e axle tubes into the central casing or differential housing, and the use of such enlargements or extensions 4 is very desirable in order to produce a central hole on the joint side of the housing.

. The second' ste consists in the bending or forming of the lank shown in Fig. 1 into a channel or approximately U shaped member 5,'as shown in Fig. 2, and in the sections of Figs. 2', 22 and 23.' This change in form, or channeling may be accomplished in any desired manner, although' preferably carried out in a large punch press and to the extent indicated by the above mentioned It will be understood that this forming or channeling of the blank may be carried out in one, two, or even more stages iffdesired. For example; if carried out in two stages, then the blank willl be formed as shown in Fig. 2 in the initial stage and then formed into the section of Figs. 2', 22 and 2s in the second stage.

The third step consists inpnnching a. central hole 6 in the blank as shown inFig. 3, this hole being disposed preferably substantially centrally within and concentric Withthe central annular portion of the blank, and being formed, of course, to permit the assembly of the differential mechanism within the finished central portion. At this point the blank will preferably be annealed. to insure against damage to the metal during the steps to be described in the following paragraphs and under some conditions it may be desirable to anneal at several oints in the process, but this may safely el left to those skilled in this art.

On the front side of the usual axle housing there is carried a heavy vfront co'verplate or differential carrier which coperates with the housing proper to constitute an inclosing chamber for the differential mechanism, andNalso usually coperates with the housing roper to support the bearing in which the riven shaft is mounted. By, reason of the weight and function of this front cover plate it is desirable that the same be very `securely attached to the housing,l and to form a firm support for this cover plate and to afford greater length of threading for `the attaching bolts I prefer to produce what may be termed a double center portion around the hole `6 which has been punched in the central portion of the blank. The

formation of this inturned flange or doublecenter is preferably carried out in three distinct operations which are shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. The first of these operations consists in what is known as edging the hole, and by this term is meant the turning up at right angles of a flange 7 as shown in Fig. 7. This lange is then turned orI doubled inward uponitself, although it is left spaced from the body portion of the blank as shown in Fig. 8 this operation being termed false Wiring, which is a term common in this art, and which means that theedge is curled inward as it would be if a wire were laced around the fiangeand the edge of t e latter then bent around the wire. The nal step in this stage of the formation of the housin is the flattening of this inturned flange or xdouble center 7 and the final form of the hole is shown in Fig. 9, where the inturned flange 7 is parallel and in contact with the inner side of the metal about the hole. p

It will be appreciated that since 'the double center or inturned ange is incorporated in the present construction. for va specific purpose, this feature, and the steps required to produce the saine, maybe omitted whenever desired without in any Way affecting an expedient adapted to keep the overall v turefis still in U-shape section, but has bien ce this portion of the housing be large enough to receive the large driving gear which is driven by the pinion on the driving shaft, and in order to mount this gear it is cush i tomary to cut opposed notches at suitable points on the upper and lower flanges of the front side of the housing. It will be understood that the use of these notches is in no way essential to such an axle, and is merely size of thediiferential portion of the housing within as s rnall limits as possible. In order to provide such notches in the upper and lower flange f the dierential portion of the housing, punch out portionsl of metal which will leave notches 8 of the desired shape and in the desired position, as indicated'in Fig. 10. Ubviously this no tch-4 ing operation may be entirely omitted or may be carried out at other stages of the' manufacture of the housing, although preferably included for the reasons stated andl inserted at the above stage in the method.

It is also usually desirable in such an axle to insert tubes 410 in Ithe extending cylindrical portions for reinforcing these parts (see Figs. 11 and 11), and it is possible in the present method of manufacture to employ these tubes as arbors or mandrels, about which the arms of the housing are formed,

and this will preferably be done. At the inner ends of these tubes are usually disposed baiiie plates 11 which support and reinforce the enlarged or tapered portions of the axle armswhere they swell into the larger differential portion of the housing,l

and such baffle plates may be used in the present construction. These baiiie plates 11, if so used, will not operate as mandrels, and will not cbviate the necessity for using especially constructed dies for the purpose of securing the proper form .and taper at this point in the housing, although these dies may-be constructed to lit about the ends of the tubes, in which position they will serve as arbors to form thearms 3. The baffle plates may be inserted later, and then welded into position in the usual manner. lf desired, other tubes -12 with flared orconical cnds-13 (see Figs. 12 and 12'), may be used instead of the tubes l0 and baie -plates 11, and in this case the'conical ends 13 of the tubes will serve to produce the desired sec'- tion in the finished housing at lthis point, and will eliminate the subsequent welding sincethe fit will be tight enough to prevent the leakage of oil between the tube and axle arm, although ,it will be desirable to spotweld the tubes to the armsat the inner ends.

The housing at this stage in the manufacpunched, notched, the edge of the front of the differential portion turned inwardI upon itself to forma double center, and the reinforcing tubes positioned. The'next step consists in the bending or shaping of this U-shape section into a member of'substantially circular 'cross-section at its ends, and of rectangular cross-section at the central or differential portion. This closing of the U- shape section is preferably carried out in two steps, although the closing may be completed in a single operation if desired. If carried out in two steps,the first will be the starting of the closing or the bending inward of the parallel arms 9 of the U to an extent of about 30 degrees as shown in Fig. 4. The extent to which these arms are initially bent inward is shown in Figs. 4 and 4', and the initial bend given to the arms is preferably about thirty degrees from their original position. The finish of the closing operation (see Fig. 5), consists in the folding or further bending of the nowinclined ends of the U into cylindrical shape, and this involves, of course, the folding around' of the central portion of the U which is accom plished preferably by placing sectional forms or dies 14 within the U which will constitute a mold about which the arms of the blank can be formed. lt has been stated that the above shaping, of the section may be completed in a single step although it is thought safer to carry it out in the successive operations specified, since the metal ofv the blank is less liable to malformation and breakage and the dies are simpler in construction.

' ln case the hole 6 formed in the joint or rear side of the housing is not of the right. dimension (see Fig. 5), it is necessary, or at least desirable, to punch through it to trim the edges to the desired size and at the same time notches 8 canbe formed corresponding in position to the notches 8 on the opposite side of the housing. These two steps can be carried out simultaneously, thus producing the housing of Fig. 6. 1

The joining of the abutting edges of the formed sheet may be accomplished in varipunches and dies, but since the design and construction of these necessary implements can `be accomplished by any one skilled in this art, .l have considered it unnecessary to show in detail, or to describe the form of these articles. lt is also thoughtto be unnecessary to show apparatus for using these punches and dies, since all ofv the punching l*steps will be carried out in suitable presses which are in common use inthe manufacture of axle housings and other articles out of sheet metal.

In Fig. 151 have shown an axle housing be made up by my new method, that is, the

' axle housing comprising an open annularA central portion can be made up from a single sheet by the steps l have outlined. In this construction, the alined arms on the-blank, (which in my previously described forms constitute the axle arms) will be shortened to relatively slight extensions from the main circular portion of the blank.

v,The product which is secured by the present method is not only considerably-stronger thanfan axle housing made of two separate joined blanks or sections, but it is also very much cheaper to manufacture.' Several loperations are omitted in the present method which are essential in the other methods of manufacture, and the present axle housin requires less than one` half., the amount o welding necessary on the usual axle.

It will be seen that my axle housing is complete, .being adapted, when fitted with the usualcover plates, to not only support, but also wholly inclose the driving axles and diderential mechanism without the use of any additional or separate casing for any part of the operating mechanism.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as re ardsthe mechanism herein disclosed, pro- ,vi ed the means stated by any ofthe following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point-'out and distinctly'claim as my inventionz- 1. As a new, article of manufacture, an

central portion constitutin a differential rcasing, and tubes exten ing oppositelyV therefrom, said tubes and casing being integral with each other and having asingle welded seam.

each other and havin casing, tubes extending oppositely therefrom, said tubes and casing being integral with each other and having a single welded seam, and reinforcing tubes mounted in said irst named tubes, said reinforcing tubes being formed at their inner ends to contact snugly against said first named tubes.

4. As a new article of manufacture, an

axle housing comprising an open annular central portion constituting a differential casing, the front and rear faces of said central portion being provided with annular alined openings, the edge of .one of said openings being turned inward to provide a flange of double thickness, and tubes formed integral with such central portion and extending oppositely therefrom, and said tubes and casing having a single longitudinally welded seam.

'5. As a new article of manufacture, an axle housing comprising an open central portion constituting a di'erential casing and tubes extending oppositely therefrom, said tubes and casing being ri id with each other and having a slnglelongltudinally ex tending seam.

t. As a new article of manufacture, an

axle housing comprising an open central y portion constituting a differential casing and, tubes extending oppositely therefrom, said tubes and casing being integral with a single longitudinally extending Welde seam on one lateral face of said housing.

.nonnnf'r vEl.' rains.

Signed by me, this 14th day-of September, 95 

